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Trip from Little River-Academy, TX to Fort Worth, TX

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 18m

Distance

129.3 mi

208 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 28 min
4 AM
2h 9m ★
6 AM
2h 18m
8 AM
2h 37m
10 AM
2h 25m
12 PM
2h 23m
3 PM
2h 26m
5 PM
2h 36m
8 PM
2h 12m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Little River-Academy, TX, TX

Little River-Academy, TX

Eddie O.

city and county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, United States

Fort Worth, TX

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Little River-Academy, TX to Fort Worth, TX covers 129.3 miles and takes about 2h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Purple Heart Trail, I 35W, South Jack Kultgen Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 59.2 miles on Purple Heart Trail. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.54 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

64.6 miles from Little River-Academy, TX

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Purple Heart Trail 59.2 mi 59m
I 35W 49.2 mi 51m
South Jack Kultgen Expressway 6.6 mi 7m
Southeast H K Dodgen Loop 6.5 mi 8m
TX 95 5.2 mi 6m
West Main Street 1.1 mi 1m
North General Bruce Drive 0.7 mi 1m
South Freeway 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Purple Heart Trail — 59.2 mi, about 59m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Little River-Academy, TX and Fort Worth, TX.

1

Start on FM 436

1.1 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
2

Turn left onto TX 95

5.2 mi · 6 min · TX 95
3

Continue on Loop 363

6.5 mi · 8 min · Southeast H K Dodgen Loop
Use the left lane.
4

Turn right onto North General Bruce Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · North General Bruce Drive
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Toward I 35 North
6

Merge onto I 35

26 mi · 26 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 35

6.6 mi · 7 min · South Jack Kultgen Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 35; US 77

33 mi · 33 min · Purple Heart Trail
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W

49 mi · 51 min · I 35W
Toward I 35W: Fort Worth Use the slight left lane.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 49A Toward Allen Avenue Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn straight onto South Freeway

0.1 mi · 18 sec · South Freeway
12

Turn left onto East Allen Avenue

210 ft · 12 sec · East Allen Avenue
13

Turn left onto South Freeway

258 ft · 5 sec · South Freeway
14

Arrive at destination

South Freeway

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 64.6 miles from Little River-Academy, TX, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.2 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 28 miles or 32m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 64.6 miles or 1h 10m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 53m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Worth, TX than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Little River-Academy, TX so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Little River-Academy, TX

This is one driving day of about 129.3 miles and 2h 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Little River-Academy, TX.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Purple Heart Trail for about 59.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Bellmead, TX, TX

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bellmead, TX

65 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Lorena, TX

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

West, TX

Meal break

The midpoint is around 64.6 miles from Little River-Academy, TX, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Bicentennial Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 120

Crowley, Texas

Hours: 6 am–9 pm

+18172972201

Visit website

Doris D Miller Park

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour mile 46.2

Waco, Texas

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Forest Park Miniature Railroad

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 129.3

Fort Worth, Texas

Hours: 10 am–5 pm

+18179665509

Visit website

Cultural Activities Center

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 9.2

Temple, Texas

Hours: 8:30 am–4 pm

+12547739926

Visit website

Fort Worth Herd

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, ~12 min detour

4.7 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 129.3

Fort Worth, Texas

Hours: 11:30 am–4 pm

+18173364373

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 129.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
1.1 mi into trip | ~1m in | TX 95

Turn left onto TX 95

Navigation decision point

5
13.8 mi into trip | ~18m in | I 35 / Purple Heart Trail

Merge onto I 35 / Purple Heart Trail

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
79.6 mi into trip | ~1h 25m in | I 35W

Keep slight left at fork onto I 35W toward I 35W: Fort Worth

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 35W: Fort Worth
7
128.8 mi into trip | ~2h 17m in

Take the exit toward Allen Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 49A Toward Allen Avenue
5
129.2 mi into trip | ~2h 17m in | East Allen Avenue

Turn left onto East Allen Avenue

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$19.54 one way

$39.08 round trip

$3.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 45 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.20 $21.39 $42.77
premium $4.54 $23.09 $46.17
diesel $5.61 $28.55 $57.10

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 45.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 38.8 0 $13.58 $6.21
Efficient EV 32.3 0 $11.31 $5.17
EV Truck/SUV 51.7 0 $18.10 $8.28

Gas CO2

45 kg

EV CO2

15 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Little River-Academy, TX

Afternoon in Little River-Academy on Saturday

Local time

2:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fort Worth, TX

Afternoon in Fort Worth on Saturday

Local time

2:29 PM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

9 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

2h 18m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Waco Mammoth National Monument

Waco Mammoth National Monument

National Monument

Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago. Today, the fossil specimens represent the nation's first and...

5 mi from route ~12 min detour Free near mile 44.6
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

129.3 mi in 2h 18m — 47% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Purple Heart Trail.

47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 59.2 mi on Purple Heart Trail.

How Hard Is This Drive?

4/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near TX 95.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 2h 18m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (TX 95): Navigation decision point; at 13.8 miles (I 35 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 79.6 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in Fort Worth, TX

Full guide →

“Panther city” · Founded 1849

Fort Worth is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas. With a population of approximately 1,020,000, it is Texas' 5th largest city. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which has a population exceeding 6 million. Sometimes referred to as Cowtown, it is by far closer to its cowboy roots than neighboring Dallas. This article also covers North Richland Hills, a neighboring community.

Top landmarks

  • • Amon Carter Museum of American Art — art museum in Fort Worth, Texas
  • • Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth — art museum
  • • St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth — church located in Fort Worth, Texas

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 18m. Total distance: 129.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (47%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 59.2 miles on Purple Heart Trail. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (TX 95): Navigation decision point; at 13.8 miles (I 35 / Purple Heart Trail): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 79.6 miles (I 35W): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Waco Mammoth National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fort Worth, TX before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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